Andrew Lindsay Lewis Jr. was born November 3, 1931, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.S. at Haverford College (1953), his M.B.A. at Harvard (1955) and did post-graduate work at MIT. (1968).Lewis held various positions (foreman, job superintendent, production manager, and director) at Henkels and McCoy, Inc. (1955-1960). He later worked as worked as director of marketing, vice president of sales, and then as director of American Olean Tile Co., Inc (a division of National Gypsum Co.) (1960-1968). Lewis served as vice president and assistant chairman of National Gypsum Co. from 1969 to 1970 and chairman of Simplex Wire and Cable Co. from 1970 to 1972.

He was president and CEO of Snelling and Snelling, Inc. (1972-1974) and then of Lewis and Associates (1974-1981). Lewis served as deputy director of Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign in 1980 and deputy director of the transition team.

He then worked in Reagan's administration as secretary of transportation from 1981 to 1983. From 1983 to 1986, Lewis chaired Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Co., was chairman and CEO of Union Pacific Railroad from 1986 to 1987, and was on the board of directors of American Express, Ford Motor Co., and SmithKlein Beckman Corp.